Characteristics and Kinetics of Microwave-vacuum Dehydration of Osmotically Pretreated Cherry Tomatoes

The drying process and kinetics of the microwave-vacuum dehydration on the osmotically pretreated cherry tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculentum var. Cerasiforme)were studied. Varied microwave power, vacuum and feeding loads were applied in the experimentto generatea kinetics model for the process. The Page model was found to best describethe process with an accurate prediction on the water loss in the tomatoes. The result paved the way for the optimization and control of the microwave-vacuum dehydrationtechnology.